Windows 10 will soon let paranoid punters pry on Microsoft's data-slurping

MICROSOFT HAS PULLED its socks up and is moving to tackle privacy concerns circulating over Windows 10 data collection.

Users of Redmond's operating system will soon be able to access a Windows Diagnostic Data Viewer which will provide an overview of the data Windows 10 sucks up and pipes to Microsoft's servers.

While Microsoft tends to collect anonymised data, there are still concerns with how much is gobbles up. So the new tool provides Windows 10 fans with a deeper view of the harvested and encrypted data.

The Windows Diagnostic Data Viewer is a separate tool to the Microsoft Privacy Dashboard, which also serves as a way for Windows 10 users to curate what data the software collects on them.

Currently offered through an early access programme for Windows testers, the tool will be rolled out in the next Windows 10 update.

And when it arrives, via the Windows Store, privacy paranoid users will be presented with a menu that allows them to drill down into the device ID and class data that Windows 10 collects, and get a view of data relating to device connectivity, configuration, preferences and network information.

From there they can then use the Privacy Dashboard to tweak what data Redmond is collecting with a greater insight into the granularity of the information.

"Our commitment is to be fully transparent on the diagnostic data collected from your Windows devices, how it is used, and to provide you with increased control over that data," said Windows and Device Group privacy officer Marisa Rogers.

"This is all part of our commitment to increase your trust and confidence in our products and services."

Microsoft is trying to make its data collection seem less creepy and more above board. This is probably because it has faced a fair bit of pressure from privacy regulators in Europe breathing down its neck. µ

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